Knee injuries Clover Bottom, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to execute a vast array of functional activities like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and many other daily activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently suffered a knee injury or experience chronic knee pain, it is important to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Clover Bottom, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we offer safe and effective treatment to hundreds of patients in the Clover Bottom, MO area. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides personalized, evidence-based analysis and treatment for those with knee injuries in Clover Bottom, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in custom tailored treatment plans made specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. Axes Physical Therapy is a network of physical therapy experts at various locations, each owned and operated by physical therapists. We are dedicated to serving the specifical needs of each Clover Bottom, MO patient we treat.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints we have. It joins the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone). The fibula (the small bone that runs adjacent to the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that constitute the knee joint. Around the knee the knee are leg muscles, which help move the knee, and tendons and ligaments that join the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which provide support and stability. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which provide stability in front of and behind the knee, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL), which stabilize side-to-side movement. The medial and lateral menisci are shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Because of the intricacy of the joint and the pressure placed on the knee, with bones, tendons, and ligaments that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most commonly seen musculoskeletal injuries that one can sustain. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Clover Bottom, MO area physical therapists. Our team of certified therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will lead you in your recovery and restore complete mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains are knee injuries that can hurt a lot, and they occur when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or treated improperly can result in continued issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are usually caused by acute twisting injuries, or occur when an external force stretches or tears a ligament. It is usually a sports related injury that comes from force, such as a hit to the front or outside of the knee. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very typical and result from weakness, muscle fatigue or poor mechanics. Symptoms include:

• Swelling
• Weakness or tenderness
• Pain and stiffness
• Popping
• Muscle Spasms

Torn cartilage can frequently occur take place at the same time as sprains, and take place when damage to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically caused by forcefully twisting or rotating your knee and is common in contact sports such as football, as well as sports like soccer or baseball with repeated leaping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can take place with little or no trauma as the knee cartilage loses flexibility and pliability with age. Symptoms include:

• Dull pain when training or exercising
• Buckling or locking of the knee joint
• Crunching or popping noises when walking
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Inability to bend or straighten the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also called “jumper’s knee,” is caused by swelling of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is almost always the main symptom of this type of knee injury, and at first it may only occur when working out or exercising. It commonly stems from overuse. Over time, the pain becomes worse and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, eventually you could have trouble climbing stairs or even rising from a chair. That’s why it’s vital to seek out physical therapy for knee injuries.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a knee injury that worsens with time and causes pain felt in the front of the knee. The pain is a result of tracking and alignment problems between the patella and femur and is typically felt when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The exact cause is not understood yet; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists suspect these knee injuries occur because of general overuse and weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are an especially painful of of knee injuries and need emergency medical care. More complex fractures can need surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries related to fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that typically takes place when you fall directly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a motor vehicle crash or experience another kind of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone may shatter or may break straight across. Because distal femoral knee injuries can injure the cartilage in the knee, they can sometimes be more difficult to treat. They usually occur in the elderly as their bones weaken, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when placing weight on the knee
  • Inflammation, bruising, and soreness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: frequently injure the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it connects to the knee, is not as hard as the rest of the bone. These knee injuries frequently happen when the femur is forced by trauma into the soft bone at the top of the tibia. Proximal tibia knee injuries are sometimes minor breaks that occur from excessive activity, but most happen because of falling, sports injuries or auto crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation around the knee
  • Visually apparent deformity or misalignment
  • Lack of feeling or warmth in the foot, as the flow of blood to the foot could be affected

Dislocation of the knee or kneecap can either take place when the femur and tibia are pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is forced out of place. These are usually caused by high impact trauma from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly unusual structure of the knee are at a higher risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Clover Bottom, MO doctor can correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital facet of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, gradually increase motion and improve strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be both tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often happen in high-energy sports where players are landing after jumping or switching direction quickly. The PCL can frequently be torn when there is trauma to the front of the knee as it is bent. Symptoms of these knee injuries include swelling and knee instability. While ACL tears are frequently accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee, by themselves they are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is a hit that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is vital to receive the correct immediate and long-term care after experiencing a knee injury. The care you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In the event of knee injuries involving clear and severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Clover Bottom, MO ER doctor will endeavor to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other means of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A Clover Bottom, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and mobility of your knee while looking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human movement and conduct free, no obligation injury screenings for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can show bone fractures and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from different angles to build cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help detect knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to produce images of the soft tissue in your knee. Your doctor may rotate and extend your knee into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is often utilized to detect soft tissue injuries, such as ACL tears or patellar tendonitis.

If you are dealing with pain caused by a knee injury, contact Axes Physical Therapy to work with a Clover Bottom, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your motion, your mobility, and will also examine how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Clover Bottom, MO County will recommend a customized treatment plan, which could include an appointment with a Clover Bottom, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Less significant knee injuries can be treated using the RICE Method: rest, ice, gentle compression, and elevation. If you feel pain, you need to rest and to momentarily cease any activity you think may have caused your injury. Seek medical attention if you hear a popping noise or feel loss of stability when your injury first occurs, if you experience severe pain or swelling, are unable to move the knee, or are unable to bear weight without pain. With some severe knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is needed to correct the structure of the knee and make the knee functional again. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Clover Bottom, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will put you on the path to safely restore motion and strength in your knee as your injury heals. Typical therapies for knee injuries include (depending on your injury):

• Stretches and strengthening exercises of the entire lower extremity
• Core strengthening
• Ice and heat
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Electrical stimulation
• Proprioceptive exercises
• Functional return to sports, activity, and exercises

At Axes Physical Therapy, our treatment plans are based on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We guide you in your recuperation to safely return you to the activities you love.

We treat a wide variety of conditions and complaints and have a team of specialists ready to help you. Some of our other services are:

• Back Pain Treatment
• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are experiencing knee pain or have recently experienced a knee injury, you require the professional advice of Clover Bottom, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and return you to full motion. Axes Physical Therapy will help you get back to the sports and activities you love with the dedicated, individualized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.